356 WILD SPORTS IN THE FAR WEST. 



man wife, and was their gnest for some time, employing 

 myself in looking out for turkeys, but with little suc- 

 cess ; the mosquitoes in the various bayous or lagoons 

 M'ere so numerous as almost to drive any man mad, 

 who camped out in the open air. I remained for some 

 weeks, in spite of them, but if I had stayed any longer, 

 I fear I should have given up shooting for ever. 



My hunting shirt was in rags, and only held together 

 by my belt ; and as deer skins were now in a good state 

 for dressing, I made up my mind to return to the 

 Fourche le Fave, and shoot at the salt licks, till I had 

 skins enough to make a good hunting shirt ; intending 

 to dress the skins myself for the purpose. 



Not finding any letters, I gave up the idea of going 

 to New Orleans, and started for the Fourche le Fave 

 towards the end of April. I gained my old shooting 

 ground on the second day, and leaving the frequented 

 paths, struck through the forest to a lick, where I had 

 killed several deer the year before, and where I hoped 

 to find the platform I had erected, still in its place. I 

 reached the spot just before sunset, and hastened to 

 collect and split wood, and by working hard I managed 

 to get enough before dark ; — for the twilight is very 

 short in this latitude. I then set to work on the stand, 

 to raise one side which had given way : most of the earth 

 remained on the platform, but on putting my shoulder 

 to it, and exerting all my force, I succeeded in raising 

 it to its old position. The effort, however, had been 

 too much for my strength ; I had tasted nothing since 

 the previous evening, having taken no food with me ; 

 nor had I seen any game on the way ; the long march, 

 the hard work of hauling and splitting wood, the fatigue 



